In a Minute
by Rising Sun et al
Summary: Trapped in an Avalanche AJ and Mac realize their feelings for each other.


The Challenge as presented at the Fan Fiction Challenge at   
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ffchallange/  
  
Title: In a Minute  
  
Author: Rising Sun  
For feedback e-mail me at: jagrslc@yahoo.com  
For updates on my new FF join: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jagrslc   
The FF is archived at: http://www.geocities.com/jagrslc  
Join the Fan Fiction Challenge at:   
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ffchallange/  
  
Rated: PG-13  
Summary: Trapped in an Avalanche AJ and Mac realize their   
feelings for each other.  
Spoilers: We The People, People vs Rabb, Someone to Watch   
Over Annie, Going After Francesca, Yeah Baby!, Life or   
Death, The Stalker, Cabin Pressure, Boomerang pt 2, Adrift pt   
1, New Gun In Town, Dog Robber pt 2, Port Chicago,  
  
Disclaimer: NONE of these characters are mine! No copyright   
infringement intended. All other characters depicted are purely   
fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely   
coincidental.  
  
Feedback: Send it.  
Permission to archive: Permission granted.  
Story written July 29, 2002  
  
=====================================  
  
ECO CHALLENGE  
DAY SEVEN - 2309 LOCAL  
JAG CAMP  
ALASKA ALONG THE YUKON BORDER  
  
"Remind me again whose idea this was?" Mac demanded over   
Harm's snoring.  
  
"Mine." AJ Chedwiggen replied.  
  
"With all due respect sir this is not one of your better ideas."   
She informed him.  
  
"Seemed so at the time." Sturgis defended their Commanding   
Officer.  
  
The four were in taking part in an ECO-Challenge and were   
feeling the pain of the race despite training for the event.  
  
"Get some sleep like lover boy there. In this race time is more   
precious than gold. We have another day ahead of us."  
  
With that they bedded down for the night.  
  
=============================================  
=====  
  
ALASKA ALONG THE YUKON BORDER  
0139 LOCAL  
  
AJ's bladder was threatening to burst if he didn't do the right   
thing by it. Bracing himself for the bite of the cold he crawled   
out of the bag and went in search of an appropriate area to   
work his magic.  
  
He found a crevice and relieved himself, then he heard the   
rumble and at first it didn't register. When it did it was too late   
and the last thing he knew was that a small avalanche swept   
him up.  
  
=============================================  
  
JAG CAMP  
  
Mac sat up suddenly. Something had woken her up but what?   
She checked her body clock it registered 0209 Local exactly   
three hours since she had gone to sleep.   
  
She about to settle down when she spotted the empty sleeping   
bag. The Admiral was not in camp. May be he had a call of   
nature she reasoned but all her instincts said no. So hoping   
against hope not to catch the Admiral at a tree Mac went on a   
recon mission.  
  
+++  
  
Half an hour later she bolted back into the camp. "Mayday!   
Wake up" she unceremoniously kicked her fellow officers in   
the ribs.  
  
"What!" Harm grumbled, "What time is it? Time to move out   
already?"  
  
"It's 0239 Local and to hell with the race! The Admiral is   
trapped!"  
  
"What do you mean trapped." Sturgis demanded.  
  
"You have problems with English first thing in the morning?   
Get your six in gear and I'll show you!" She snapped. "Grab   
your gear we'll need it."  
  
"Tell us what happened?" Sturgis commanded as he hurriedly   
packed.  
  
"The Admiral is buried under a pile of snow. I can hear him but   
he doesn't seem to be able to hear me."  
  
The two men paused in shock but only for a moment. They   
resumed the break up of camp with renewed vigor.  
  
===========================================  
  
0209 LOCAL  
SOMEWHERE ALONG THE ALASKA ALONG THE   
YUKON BORDER  
  
AJ slowly awoke and swore as the memory of what happened   
surged thought his mind. He tried to move but he was pinned   
in. His brain raced "What could he do?" he tried to focus in   
the silence of the snow tomb he thought he hear something.  
  
"Hello!" He screamed. No reply.   
  
"Hello!" but all that seemed to happen was that his voice came   
back at him. Finally he gave up and let his mind wander. For   
some reason it latched on to Mac.  
  
[FLASHBACK]  
  
AJ: Don't get too close. You'll be working together.  
  
+ ++  
  
AJ: Major, how do I know that you won't feel like   
spreading your wings again next week?  
  
+++  
  
Mac: There's always been something I've wanted to do.   
(She leans up and kisses him on the cheek)  
  
[END OF FLASHBACK]  
  
AJ signed in contentment then started. What was he doing?   
Fantasizing about an Officer under his command. Was he   
mad? But she is so beautiful. And that night on the dock when   
she had not only confessed her desire but also had acted upon it   
he would have turned to mush had it not been for the gravity of   
the situation they had just faced.  
  
It's just that she always seemed to be there when he needed,   
but being the ADMIRAL and the Commanding Officer he had   
to keep his distance but it wasn't always easy.  
  
[FLASHBACK]  
  
AJ: You have something else, Major?  
Mac: No, Sir. I thought maybe you'd want someone to   
talk to.  
AJ: What, precisely, would we talk about?  
Mac: May i speak frankly, Sir?  
AJ: Seems like you're bound and determined to  
Mac: Well, I know this is difficult for you. And I thought   
maybe a friendly shoulder to cry on?This isn't going   
well, is it?  
AJ: You have a gift for the understatement, Major.  
Mac: Just forget about this?  
AJ: Already have. Close the hatch on your way out.  
  
(Mac leaves)  
  
AJ: (to himself): Thanks, Sarah.  
  
[END OF FLASHBACK]  
  
  
===========================================  
  
0309 LOCAL  
AJ'S LOCATION  
  
"This is where I heard him." Mc pointed out. "Admiral!" She   
shouted. "AJ!" There was no reply.  
  
"Get the gear out." Harm ordered "… and start digging. We   
can't afford to wait for Search and Rescue."  
  
"In shifts that way we don't have to stop." Sturgis suggested.  
  
"Good idea." Mac concurred, "We HAVE to find him." She   
remembered a time she wanted nothing to do with him or men   
for that matter.  
  
  
[FLASHBACK]  
  
AJ: Looking for something Major?  
Mac: Yes sir something with enough sugar to put me in   
coma.  
  
[END OF FLASHBACK]  
  
"We HAVE to find him." She prayed as Harm took the first   
shift.  
  
===========================================  
  
0309 LOCAL  
AJ'S LOCATION  
  
[FLASHBACK]  
  
AJ to Harm about Brumby regarding Mac: Poor sap …   
never had a chance.  
  
[END OF FLASHBACK]  
  
AJ struggled to remain awake and to move to get himself out,   
but all he seemed to be able to do was fixate on Mac.   
  
What was that? "Hey!" He shouted. No reply. He'd imagined   
it.  
  
+++  
  
"Stop!" Sturgis yelled.  
  
"What?" Harm stopped.  
  
"Listen." His friend said and then "I thought I heard something.   
Never mind continue."  
  
Harm stuck the shovel in.  
  
+++  
  
AJ struggled in the confined space. He had to get out of this   
cell. He refused to regard the space as his last resting place. He   
grinned at himself. The last time he felt self-pity Mac had been   
the one he'd finally spoken to. He always seemed to be   
revealing things to her.  
  
[FLASHBACK]  
  
AJ: Glad you agree.  
Mac: Don't mention it sir.  
AJ: I won't and incidentally if you do… to anyone I'll   
be on your six faster that a ground to air missile.  
Mac: Understood sir  
  
+++  
  
Mac: Last time I did this I was eighteen and drunk.  
AJ: Last time I did this I was twenty-four and sober ...   
same result. We learn from our mistakes and move on.  
Mac: Sir you never remarried.  
AJ: I was talking about you not me... Good Lord don't   
use me as a barometer for anything!  
  
+++  
  
Mac: He missed the seafaring life.   
AJ: No, what he missed out on was you and that makes   
him a damn fool.  
  
[END OF FLASHBACK]  
  
===========================================  
  
0403 LOCAL  
AJ'S LOCATION  
  
The snow glistened eerily in the night as Sturgis took the   
second shift.   
  
"You sure this is the spot?" Harm asked.  
  
"As sure as when I found you in the Atlantic." She retorted.   
She had no doubt that this was the spot what she was feeling   
was not doubt but fear. Fear, that she'd never see AJ   
Chedwiggen again and somehow that was unacceptable to her.  
  
"Besides." Sturgis put in "She heard him. He's probably   
unconscious that's why we probably can't hear him."  
  
Mac groaned.  
  
"You ok?" Harm was instantly concerned.  
  
She nodded numbly. The thought of him unconscious and   
dying there in that cold tomb had suddenly brought her feelings   
in sharp focus.  
  
[FLASHBACK]  
  
Mac: l have some of that aspirin.  
Their fingers touch and they are about kiss when …  
AJ: This is a mistake.  
Mac: Yes sir.  
  
[END OF FLASHBACK]  
  
God how many times since then had she wondered how it   
would have felt to be held in those strong arms and be   
thoroughly kissed.  
  
Sturgis stopped and walked up to her. "Next."  
  
===========================================  
  
0413 LOCAL  
AJ'S LOCATION  
  
God how many times since then have I wondered how it would   
have felt to hold that beautiful woman in my arms and   
thoroughly kiss her! AJ imagined.   
  
He tried to get out again. Again he was still stuck. "Oh Mac."   
He sighed.  
  
[FLASHBACK]  
  
AJ: Colonel, why are you standing there?   
Mac: Because you wanted to see me?   
AJ: Colonel, is this another one of those...moments?   
Mac: Yes, Sir.  
  
+++  
  
AJ: Help me out here, Colonel. She's going off the   
deep end.   
Mac: You want me to take over, Sir?   
AJ: I want you to sit second chair.   
Mac: I'd prefer the electric chair, Sir.  
  
[END OF FLASHBACK]  
  
Suddenly and abruptly there was a swoosh of fresh air.   
  
"Sir?" He heard her but knew his mind was playing tricks on   
him. "AJ?" He heard. She never called him AJ.  
  
Mac dug some more and got down next to him. She leaned in   
and placed her ear next to his nose and heard him breath. She   
quickly changed angle and planed a kiss firmly on him. "May   
never get a chance again." She grinned at him relieved that he   
was alive.  
  
Only when she got down in the hole did he believe that he's   
been found. Then she kissed him and he was in heaven.  
  
"I got him!" She shouted to the others.  
  
AJ tugged on her.   
  
"Sir?" she leaned in to hear him.  
  
"Permission granted anytime you want."  
  
~*~ FINIS ~*~  
  
===========================================  
  
This is for all shows:   
Trap a character in an avalanche with room to breathe for a   
while.   
?Do they get themselves out?   
?Reflect on life?   
?Panic?   
?Get rescued?   
?Die?   
?Repent?   
?Go insane?   
  
Anna 


End file.
